[LargeFormat] Those Sort of Pictures

[rstein]

Dear Friends,

     I noted the phrase from Pete Calouri's post and was delighted - it
would make the perfect book or exhibition title. May I have it for future
use, Pete?

    On the subject of pregnancy pictures - or 101 uses for stretch marks - I
have compiled a series of short notes. You must decide for yourselves which
are applicable in your studios. Remember who wrote them....

1.    Pregnancy is a hot sweaty time. No, not just the first half hour - the
whole lot. Put the air conditioning on so you subject will not frizzle under
the lights. If you are using constant lighting or if your strobe pack is the
equivalent of an atomic pile, consider turning it down to reduce the temp.

2.     Many of your pregnant subjects will be female. Expect a little more
emotion than your average businessman having an office shot. Be nice.

3.    Offer refeshments but avoid alcohol, whipped creams and soft cheeses
in dips, pates, or shellfish. Fruit is good and melons extra good. Pregnant
women can eat inordinate amounts of melon.

    Again, you can offer coffee, tea, Bonox, or whatever, but remember that
by the time the lady comes to see you her bladder capacity has been
restricted by having to share space with a passenger. Thus if you fill her
up with 2 cups of tea expect the session to be interrupted 3 times. 3 cups
of tea equates to 7 interruptions and with 4 cups you might as well set the
tripod and lights in the toilet.

4.     What to wear? Well, your subject may want to do a Demi Moore and sit
on a velvet-covered posing stool and all you need there is lighting and
makeup. A more discrete semi Demi can be done by wrapping the lower parts in
velvet, leaving the tum exposed, and getting the lady to wrap her arms about
her upper portions.

    Gauzey fabrics are good, as are shiny satins and velvets as body drapes.
Underwear can be wrapped so that it becomes almost a costume. Bed jackets,
kimonos, housecoats - provided they are satiny and elegant - are also a good
look. If there are any belly dance shops around your area check out the
headdresses and chain belts.

    Saris are also a very good garment - long lengths of decorated cloth
that can be wrapped elegantly. In Oklahoma you can even get one with a
fringe on the top.

5.     Poses? Well, most of the poses involve a stomach - a rather large
stomach. If yours is larger than hers you wear the sari and let her take a
picture of you....but otherwise try for profile shots, 3/4 shots, side
recliners, and so on. A back shot is generally not rewarding. Remember that
bosoms swell as well, which is swell....

6.    Props and set? Elegant furniture, of the beddy or loungey variety. A
chair with swooping curves to echo her swooping curves. Sweeping drapes.
Rotund urns and vases. Flowers, ferns, feathers. Outdoor in a well manicured
garden.

    Corny, yes, but this is a specialized image. You don't want to make the
set look like the Cabinet of Dr. Cagliari or the Bethlehem Steel Works in
Pittsburg.

7.     Film? Colour neg for preference - wedding contrast is best if you're
going to diffuse the image. Standard speed monochrome for a little variety
is good too.

8.    Camera? The one you have, silly. Large format to the fore, men. You
aren't going to need dozens of images as your setting a posing can be done
with such care - so you can afford to splash out on a few more sheets of
film.

9.    Lens? Whatever. I use a Symmar S 150 and an Imagon 250 for the soft
focus and I am a happy man.

10.  Other people on the set? Good, if it is one lady friend of the sitter
or one makeup girl. Acceptable if it also includes the ladies' partner. Bad,
if it is 4 friends and their children and the bloke who is in to repair the
oven. This is a semiclad pregnant lady, folks, so be sensible.

11.  Labour pains? Next time schedule the shoot at the 7 1/2 month schedule.
Go boil some water and get a lot of clean towels. You are going to be busy
for a while.

     Well, I hope this helps the budding prenatal photographer. It has
worked for me. I'm off in the afternoon to picture yet another - this time
one with twins.

    Uncle Dick

PS: See, I can write sensible things when I want to. The secret is to find a
subject that you know and love. All the rest can be nonsense.